Grants fund vital patient care enhancements

Staff at Chase Farm, Barnet and the Royal Free hospitals submitted proposals for grants of up to £10,000, aimed at enhancing patient experience.

Jon Spiers, chief executive, Royal Free Charity, said: ​“The initiatives we’ve chosen to fund showcase the commitment of Royal Free London staff to enhancing the care and experiences of their patients. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we can help transform these ideas into tangible improvements, helping the trust to go further and faster than can happen with NHS funding alone.”

The successful applications are:

• £9,000 allocated to refurbish the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) waiting area at the Royal Free Hospital, to provide a safe and welcoming environment for patients, families and carers.
• £9,000 earmarked for enhancements to the Royal Free Hospital’s therapies department, so that therapists can deliver more specialised and personalised treatments through upgraded therapeutic gym facilities.
• £2,808 to streamline and enhance the issuing of exercise prescriptions for musculoskeletal patients at Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals.
• The introduction of surgical magnification technology at Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals, thanks to a £9,780 grant. This innovation will result in more precise removal of cancerous skin lesions, leading to reduced hospital stays and faster recovery times.
• £8,559.71 allocated to the infection and immunity team for delivering comprehensive training to hospital staff on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), aimed at increasing awareness, reducing stigma and enhancing care for people living with HIV.

The grants were decided by a panel that included Richard Chester, Royal Free London group deputy director of patient experience, Amy Wood, head of quality governance and patient experience and two patients with lived experiences of the Royal Free Hospital.

Richard said: ​“The trust and the Royal Free Charity are committed to working together to continually improve the care we provide and the experience that our patients have.

“To achieve this, we need the input and involvement of our patients and their clinicians to guide and influence changes that matter. The grants awarded will make a real difference to both patients and staff such as improved environments or care support for patients. 

“Involvement of patients in developing the grant proposals was echoed in the evaluations of the applications, where assessors with lived experience helped with evaluating the bids. I look forward to seeing the difference the grants make.”

In 2023, thanks to our generous donors, we delivered £2.2 million in grant funding.